Police were called to a Boston church after one light‐fingered mourner made off with up to £50 ‐ from the funeral plate.

At a Sleaford funeral service, a newly‐widowed woman was burying her husband when she was assaulted by her step‐grandson, who pushed her over.

And one Grantham couple’s perfect day was ruined by one of their nearest and dearest ‐ who ran off with a wedding post box full of cards and cash.

The boys in blue have crashed at least eight weddings or funerals in the region so far this year.

The information was obtained via a Freedom of Information request to Lincolnshire Police.

Other cases disclosed by the force include criminal damage claims in Market Rasen, in which two separated parents got into a row at a wedding reception over their child.

The mother then snapped, repeatedly punching her ex’s car doors and roof.

And at a Branston wedding reception, a youth caution was dished out after two women got into a boozy brawl after one tried to snatch the car keys and drive off ‐ despite police describing her as “well in drink”.

However nobody has been prosecuted with many victims, seemingly willing to forgive and forget once the hangover has worn off, dropping charges.

Bestselling celebrity author GP Taylor was a vicar before leaving the church a decade ago.

In his 13 years as a man of the cloth he said he witnessed some incredible sites ‐ and claimed alcohol was usually at the root of them.

“There was one incident when the service went well but once this family all left the church and moved outside, they all just started fighting,” said Mr Taylor, author of the bestselling Shadowmancer books, which have been turned into Hollywood movies.

“It got so out of control they brought a dog handler in ‐ it was absolute carnage.

“There were people running around with blood on their shirts, which had been ripped in the scuffle while people were screaming and crying.”

“I said to them ‘This is a house of God and a place of peace!’ But it didn’t stop them, and it just kicked off.”

But it isn’t just days of celebration in which tempers flared.

“There was a funeral at a church in which the police had to remove a mourner as she was paralytic drunk,” added Mr Taylor.

“She was screaming shouting, falling over people and falling over the coffin.

“It was hysterically funny but it is a time of great sadness so you have to be sensitive.”

He also recalls another incident where police were called to collect a vicar from a hedge after he drunkenly fell into it prior to a christening.

“Another vicar was called to do the service while he sobered up in the back of the police van,” added the author.

However, Lincolnshire’s offences often pale in comparison to those committed elsewhere in the country.

In South Wales, someone working at a wedding reception exposed themselves to a guest, while in East Yorkshire a bride’s parents were arrested after hurling expletives at the groom’s family.

And in perhaps the most shocking incident, one guest at a Derbyshire wedding was arrested for rape.

The alleged rapist was only cautioned for the sex attack.

And while most services pass without incident, Mr Taylor added: “The trouble is these are times of incredible emotion, and any time alcohol is involved and families are brought together that can be fractious.”